There are many kinds of easily accessible online gambling sites and activities. Easy access to gambling is a potential disaster for a person with a compulsive gambling disorder or an inclination to having a problem with gambling. With an abundance of online casinos and betting sites, anyone with a gambling problem and an Internet connection is faced with temptation twenty-four hours a day.

Is compulsive gambling a real problem? Why can’t they just stop?

A compulsive gambler often wants to stop. After all, he is losing his money, his friends, ruining his family . . . But he can not stop. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) – the American handbook for mental health professionals, Compulsive Gambling is a mental disorder that requires treatment.

How do you know if someone a compulsive gambler?

Problem gambling is characterized by a difficulty to limit money and/or time spent on gambling activity which leads to harmful effects on the gambler himself as well as to others. Pathological gambling is now defined as persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior meeting at least five of the following criteria:

Open communication is the best way to approach a loved one with a suspected gambling problem. If the problem is that they are gambling online, you can do a lot to help them. First of all, get rid of the temptation. That does not have to mean getting rid of the family computer or canceling the Internet connection.

If your loved one admits to a problem and wants your help to overcome the problem, you can agree together to start by eliminating the easy access they have to gambling online. Simply by installing an effective web filter, you can easily block out gambling and betting websites from your PC.

A web filter, such as Optenet PC, is a software solution, that you install and manage on your computer. It can be a fast and easy way to curb a problem that is just beginning or helping a serious compulsive gambler eliminate the immediate access to online casinos.

What are some of the causes of a gambling addiction? As a former gambler and mental health counselor, I have done a lot of research on why people develop a gambling problem. What I have found is that there is more than one cause of gambling addiction and that although it is important to know the cause, the solution is much more important.

Here are some of the many causes of gambling addiction:

o Gambling is exciting while the gambler is in action. The adrenaline high feels good, and it is quite easy to become addicted to these “feel good” chemicals in our brain.
o Gambling compulsively may fill a void for many people with a gambling problem. This void could be in many areas of one’s life. Poor social life, loneliness, job dissatisfaction, empty-nest syndrome, boredom, and lack of purpose can all contribute to a gambling addiction.
o A big win at the casino is the worst possible event for anyone with a propensity for addiction. The adrenaline high of a huge jackpot can fuel future addiction like jet fuel in a plane. Most, if not all people give back the winnings from their jackpot, plus much more money as well.
o Escape from emotional pain and psychological distress can also fuel a gambling disorder. This is especially true for “escape gamblers” who mostly play slot machines, lottery, or partake in online internet gambling.
o For “action gamblers”, the craving for action and feeling very important to others can fuel a gambling addiction. Action gamblers are mostly male and are usually sports betters, poker players, and racetrack gamblers.
o The thrill of “easy money” can fuel a gambling addiction, especially if the gambling addict has a long string of wins at the beginning of his or her gambling career.
o People with anxiety and/or depression have show a strong propensity for gambling problem as well as other addictions.
o People with first degree relatives with a gambling addiction have a stronger propensity to develop this addiction themselves.

These are just some of the general causes of a gambling problem, however, there are many more as well. In addition, each unique individual will have different reasons for having a problem with gambling, and no two situations are the same.

The most important thing, however, is that once some of the causes of a gambling problem are established, that the individual seeks immediate help for his or her problem.

The solutions, which include abstinence from gambling, professional help, and support groups, self-care, and lifestyle changes are most important in reclaiming ones’ life from a gambling addiction.

Alright, it is hard to stop gambling and it IS a problem! I Was a problem gambler just over four month ago, but I have stopped myself gambling and now I turned it all around and I wand to help you stop playing also and set your life on the right path again! You may not agree with me, but that is just because all gamblers never look at gambling as a problem and the ones that do always hide it and ignore it and continue to gamble their life away!

You need to understand this, Gambling IS a waste of time and most importantly a waste of YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY! Keep this in mind and remind yourself that you need to stop gambling and you have a serious gambling problem, there is no point in denying it and denial will never help you and I know because it never helped me! I always used it as an excuse that gambling is not a problem and as long as I keep going back and get my money back I will stop playing, but every time all that happens is you end up watching your bank account get lower, and lower and lower until it reaches zero and you have no where to turn! And yet you are still itching to go back and try get your money back! Ever had those thoughts and feelings ? Be honest with yourself if you want to stop gambling as this is a number one tip that will help you break the habit!

If you have too much free time on your hands after work and you have money, the gambling always seems to draw you in and the boredom is the main cause if it. I know how this all works too well! I was a fisherman and I earned a great salary, I used to get home early and have a whole day and nothing to do, so I would go to the pub and waste hundreds of dollars on slots and video poker machines! I won a few times which made it even harder to stop and even more enticing to go back! And go back I did, many many times until I went broke and had nothing in my bank! And I had a gambling problem to blame for it. So, now that I was broke and down it was a perfect time to realize that gambling was a problem and it was taking away all my money and causing me a lot of stress and disappointments!

To add to the push that made me want to stop gambling was my partner, she nearly left me because of the gambling problem so I had to think how to stop gambling problem for good! I had no money so I stepped back and turned my thinking away from gambling and decided to search for a way to make money from home on the internet and get all my lost money back and develop a new skill! I found a marketing university online and signed up to it to learn to make money from home and keep my thoughts occupied and away from gambling! I learned a lot of important concepts from this marketing university online and I started some of my own affiliate campaigns! After only a week or so I started making great money on the internet and got a large percentage of the money I lost in no time!

Ever since I found internet marketing university and started learning and keeping my mind of gambling I defeated my gambling problem and now I am becoming successful as an internet marketer and home business entrepreneur. So my final advice to you also, Finally admit it to yourself that gambling is causing you problems and you need to stop gambling for good! And try and do what I did, go and learn a new skill and occupy your mind and stop thinking about gambling, eventually once you find a place for yourself and start doing something profitable and feel successful you will never have the wants or needs to gamble again!